Two hundred ninety patients treated for peritonsillar abscess (PTA) between 1970 and 1982 were reviewed. The patients were divided into those with a history of recurrent tonsillitis prior to developing PTA (72 patients, 25%), and those without (218 patients, 75%). The patients in the first group had four times more recurrences than those in the second group (40% versus 9.6%). Patients older than 40 years were found to have a lower incidence of throat infections than younger patients, and no PTA recurrences were observed. Neither subsequent tonsillitis nor recurrent PTA was observed among 72 patients (25%) who underwent tonsillectomy 6 to 12 weeks after PTA. The pre-PTA history was found to be a dominant factor in determining the need for tonsillectomy. In patients who suffered from recurrent tonsillitis prior to PTA, tonsillectomy is recommended. In those with a single episode of PTA and no history of tonsillitis, tonsillectomy is not indicated.

Female↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Rapidly progressive hearing loss as a symptom of polyarteritis nodosa.

The hearing loss that occurs in polyarteritis nodosa is due largely to middle ear effusion but usually appears as a mixed type. Pure perceptive hearing loss is rare; only two cases have been reported previously in which sensorineural hearing loss was the initial sign of the disease. A case of profound, rapidly deteriorating perceptive hearing loss in which the etiology was not clear is described. One year after the onset of hearing loss, other manifestations of polyarteritis nodosa led to the diagnosis.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Computed tomographic demonstration of choanal atresia.

During a 3-year period, nine girls and two boys (age range, 2 days-13 years) with congenital choanal atresia were evaluated by computed tomography (CT). Other associated congenital anomalies, primarily craniofacial anomalies, were present in six of the 11 patients. In six patients the atresia was bilateral and consisted of both bony and membranous components. Of the five patients with unilateral atresia, the lesions were on the right in three and on the left in two. CT demonstrated the atresia, choanal stenosis, septal deviation, and thickening of the vomer and palatine bone. The ease of CT examination and the high accuracy of the results make it the preferred imaging method for evaluating choanal atresia.

Adolescent↗